Paul & Joe Body Protection Cream review/ swatch (SPF sunscreen)

I'm not generally too fussed about sunscreens on a daily basis for the body area (as I work in the office indoors and usually start early and finish work late so it's not like I get a lot of sun). However, I'm quite diligent with sunscreen application on the days I do go out and will be in direct sunlight for more than a hour or so. 

For the face however, I apply a SPF moisturiser or sunscreen on a daily basis religiously.

(The Australian sun is incredible- many tourists think they would just tan here like how it is when they go on a tropical vacation and not get burnt and do not realise we do have a huge hole in the ozone layer here and generally you can get seriously sunburnt within 30 minutes, not to mention the risk of skin cancer).

Anyway, due to different country's health authority's assessment of SPF factors, often something that is produced by Japanese brands with SPF30 may not be as sun protecting as an equivalent Australian sunscreen with a SPF30 rating. (Back a few years ago I think the max SPF allowed to be labelled on Australian sunscreen was actually SPF30, so as not to mislead people if they applied SPF50 or SPF100 they'd be able to skip reapplying sunscreen). This means back then a SPF30 sunscreen in Australia could be anything like a Japanese's brand's SPF30 to SPF50 or even SPF80 etc.

So when I use Asian brand sunscreens, if I'm actually going in the water or go to the beach with a lot of sun exposure, I only use something with SPF50 minimum.

Ok this is how the Paul & Joe body protection cream fit in. I'm trying to be more diligent about the days where I may just be out grocery shopping or quick stroll around the park but still want some SPF protection that doesn't make everything sticky or too drying on the skin. I'm happy to go with just SPF30 as well.

The Paul & Joe body protection cream comes in a tiny 80ml  (full retail size), and is SPF30 PA++. Retails for like 25-35USD as well depending on your country of purchase.  It's not the most economical sunscreen size for the body.

Ingredient list: (click to enlarge picture)

80ml bottle basically just fits the size of my palm. I don't really mind the small size , it means it's at least portable so I'd be happy to carry around a body sunscreen in my handbag.

Comes in a standard twist open cap and a squeeze tube applicator.

Directions: (click on picture to enlarge picture)

Here it is- a light emulsion/ cream. It has a rather pleasant light scent (that signature orange blossom scent to all Paul & Joe skincare).

Spreaded:

You can see it blends in really easily and nicely, leaves skin a little bit more moisturised but not sticky. It's not drying on the skin either. 

It also rinses off easily with soap and water.

Overall I think apart from the pricing, it makes a nice daily sunscreen. It probably wouldn't do great for the beach or water etc, but even as a sunscreen for just arms and legs it's pleasant enough to use.  The price tag however is a bit high especially for a body SPF product.

Rating is 4/5 for product, but overall once you take into account the price vs size it gets lowered to a 3.
There are a lot of Japanese drugstore brands (or even department store ones like Sofina ) producing high quality sunscreen with good sun protection and a light, non sticky consistency. If you are really picky about the consistency of the body sunscreens you can even buy face ones and just use them on the body (for like $15-20 a bottle if you are willing to pay for it...). (FYI I like Kanebo Allie sunscreen line and most of Sofina sunscreens, Shiseido Anessa offers very good sun protection but is such a pain to remove and quite drying on the skin).

Paul & Joe Body Lotion B (2012 collection) review

Here's some Paul & Joe 2012 collection with the new release of limited edition Body Lotion B. (B stands for what I'm not too sure, maybe Blue? lol).  There's also a few other body lotions from Paul & Joe floating around which are in more standard "milky moisturiser" consistency as opposed to this one which features a refreshing gel consistency. They are around 20-25USD depending on which country you are buying it from. (the bottle is 200ml).

The official blurb claims:

Paul & Joe Body Lotion B is a refreshing, limited edition blue body gel.

This water based lotion is enriched with ingredients such as cucumber extract and water soluble polymers for a refreshing, cooling sensation, whilst hydrating and conditioning skin. A marine floral fragrance, with notes of fresh citrus and rose creates a sense of an invigorating sea breeze and leaves skin lightly scented, smooth and beautiful.

I have to admit I only bought this because the bottle looked way too pretty. It's a translucent blue bottle with a silver cap with Paul & Joe designs along the rim. (the bottle could be clear- I can't quite tell whether it's the bottle that's blue or the gel that's blue).

Here's the instructions:

The bottle is actually a "hard" plastic bottle, which makes the design seem very silly (pretty but not practical), as you can't just "squeeze" the bottle, instead I have to tip it upside down and shake some gel out. 

Here it is, it's a clear gel- it's quite light. I do not see any blue tint in the gel. Feels even lighter than a lot of those facial gel moisturisers like Clinique Moisture Surge gel-creme as an example, in terms of consistency.

 

It spreads really easily and dries quickly. It does have that ever so slightly tacky feel you get after using a gel moisturiser but it's not really that much. I usually only apply body lotions at night so transferring on clothing isn't an issue. (and if I apply this 30min before bedtime it seems fine so far and no transfers). 

The scent is not at all what I imagined, most Paul & Joe skincare comes with their signature orange blossom scent, this one instead comes with a generic body lotion scent, slightly floral slightly green. It's not the most pleasant scent but I didn't mind it (and the scent disappears very quickly following application).

Here's the beautiful silver cap again since I like the design so much.

Overall 3.5/5. It's sort of a fun alternative to normal milky or cream type of body moisturisers. In terms of hydration it does just average, it would not work for me for winter for sure as I do get eczema at times when seasons change and I need a strong nourishing moisturiser with some soothing ingredients ( I usually still go to Aveeno body moisturisers).

Paul & Joe Moisturizing Mist N review

My general feel about all these facial mists or sprays is they are essentially just water. There's no need to pay a fortune to buy a super expensive one. Every now and then, I do buy those Avene eau de thermale though- as Avene does feel a bit soothing on the skin (and quite convenient for leaving in the bedroom where you do not have other water source near by).

This is Paul & Joe's 2011 version of the moisturizing mist N. It comes in a super pretty and very light metallic aerosal can. The nozzle  bit is in a champagne gold plastic while the bottle is in the Paul & Joe signature white with the orange blossom leave prints.

Instruction says to spray at least 30cm (or 12") away from skin and apply with your hands. Close eyes and mouth during spray. Can be used over or under makeup.

Here it is on the skin- the mist is super fine so even macro photography cannot pick up much visible water droplets (which is the issue I have with a lot of these facial mists since water droplets that are too big can melt your makeup, instead of rehydrating the makeup).

Has a very faint orange blossom scent. Overall this is not intended to replace a toner or anything like that, instead it just offers some portable freshness. I leave the bottle at work and spray on hotter summer afternoons as I sit next to a full wall of window.

Overall 4/5. Does its job. Aerosol can means the mist is ultra fine. However 60ml is not very much, and you can probably find cheaper alternatives. I'm guessing this retails below 20USD. Not a necessity, but if you were after a water mist and like to use one regularly, this is a good option. ( I still find avene more soothing and obviously better value for money- but the Paul & Joe one looks just way prettier).

Paul & Joe Spring Parasol Collection 2011 Pouch review

I'm a huge fan of the various new Paul & Joe prints from each season, especially when they release pouches in the same print!

This is the pouch from Spring 2011 Parasol limited edition collection. Most of the time when Paul & Joe makes pouches like this shape, it comes with a matching small zipper pouch in the same print which is totally adorable!

The pouch is around 20cm length and around 14cm height, it's probably more a clutch than a makeup bag or other usage.

I use the mini zipper pouch for putting little things like coins etc. I use Paul & Joe pouches when I go to weddings etc, they always look great with various dresses.

The Spring 2011 one comes with a baby blue lining inside. When you open the pouch it looks like this, spacious enough to put a mobile, small digital camera and my concealer, small compact foundation powder and a lipstick and some tissues. That's all I really need when I attend a function.

I'm not sure what the material is- doubt it is real silk. However it feels wonderful and quite silky, does not look cheap at all in real life.

 Close up of the print and the corner, which will have a small Paul & Joe tag.

Overall I give it 5/5. Obviously the print varies from year to year and sometimes they do sell out quickly. However sometimes some countries seem to get a lot more pouches than others and instead of buying it, it is often part of the GWP when you spend a certain amount.

Paul & Joe Nail Color vernis #17 swatch/ review

Now this is a color I love and adore. Wonderfully screams a summer/ spring shade.

This is from Paul & Joe nail color, shade is #17 (they sometimes have color names for these but they are not printed on the boxes which makes it rather confusing). This is NOT from the new Paul & Joe Nail Color N line, but the original nail color line, so not sure if it's still available.

#17 is a golden pink grapefruit with golden shimmers, and flashes gold in various angles. (not because of duochrome or anything, simply because of the gold base and gold shimmers).

 It's so gorgeous!

Pic one if indoor light.I think this one is most true to color.


Pic below outdoors, in the shade.



Pic below is indoor, flash, which shows the most yellow tone and picks up the gold the best.


Overall 5/5 for wear, color and consistency.

Paul & Joe nail colors applies smoothly, the brushes aren't as wonderful as the OPI Pro-wide brushes, but they are not difficult to use by any means. How opaque the colors are depends on individual shades, but generally 2 coats is enough. They are not super glossy/ high shine but I always use a topcoat so doesn't really matter.

And who can resist the bottle design and the raised flower print. Definitely love this one.

Paul & Joe Eye Gloss N #03 Moonlight and #05 Murmur swatch/ review

Paul and Joe have revamped their eye gloss line at least 2-3 times. The ones in 2010 were called "Eye Gloss N", the Japanese brands tend to like to add 'N' behind any revamped series of an older product, N for neo or new.

They come in a soft foam doe foot applicator like most lipglosses.

I got #05 Murmur which is a rich chocolate brown shimmer and #03 moonlight which is a pale lavender purple with shimmers. They apply a bit like a runny cream. But blends out quickly to a dry finish and stays put quite well. I get minimal creasing at the end of the day.

Overall 5/5. Paul and Joe packagings are always pleasant to look at, the handle is a pearly shimmery pink and the tube features the signature orange blossom design. The product has their signature orange flower scent but it's very very minimal and barely detectable.

Paul & Joe Hand Cream review

Paul & Joe hand cream features the signature Paul and Joe orange flower scent, in a white creamy whipped texture, housed in a beautiful metal tin (that could be reused for other things once you are done with the hand cream!) 

It's 80g and about the size of my palm.

The cream is beautifully velvety and soft. Melts on contact with the skin. It really does feel like doing a mini hand spa treatment on something when using this cream.

Ingredients and instructions, click to enlarge:

Consistency:

Spreaded out:

Overall 4/5. It's fairly moisturising and nourishing on the hands, and cuticles. However even though I like their signature scent, the thing with handcreams is usually our hands got a certain heat and is warmer than rest of the body at times, once you apply hand cream and massage in, any scented handcream tend to have the scent even more amplified with the heat from the hand. So the scent may become a lot more noticeable and stronger. Wish the scent for this was just a bit fainter, since I tend to like a very very subtle skincare scent only.

(It's kind of annoying when you are doing work and all you can smell is the orange blossom from your hands for the next hour!).

Spring makeup must see! Armani/Albion/Paul & Joe/Maquillage/Coffret D'or / Aube Couture (February Spring Biteki special edition)

Biteki is one of the top Japanese beauty magazine much like Voce and Maquia (comparable to what Allure is in the US I suppose). Every quarter they release a special pamphlet which features almost EVERY single brand's seasonal collection (not just usual boring promo pictures but literally every item of the actual product), so you can see lipstick shades in actual colors and all the eyeshadows or even eyeliners/ eyebrow pencils all under professional photos!

Along with the pics you also have with a quick description of the product (e.g. this eyeshadow is meant to feature a sheer iridescent finish, or this lipstick line is a pigmented creamy finish), and whether product is Limited Edition (yes the word that makes all women crazy.. =P ) in addition to Japanese RRP prices and color codes/ full names (unfortunately not with English product names too- but I can always figure it out in the end by comparing against official website). Best of all is the main magazine body often uses those products on models, and in this little pamphlet it also notes like 'please refer to page 90 of the main magazine' where a product in the pamphlet featured in spring collection was applied to a model. How neat is that! so you can see great swatch pics on the model. (of course there's some photoshopping but I find the colors quite accurate).

Here are some extracts from magazine on things I want to get, there are so any pages in this supplment, I only took a few pics of the ones I'm interested in, respecting the copyright of the magazine, I highly recommend purchasing the magazine if you could (though this magazine RRP is 550Yen in Japan yet I can only find it for $19AUD in Australia, hello! what a ridiculous markup!)

(Japanese brands below can be purchased from http://www.adambeauty.com/ (cheaper but less choices and slower updates) or http://www.ichibankao.com/ (more expensive but quicker updates)). Not affiliated with either sites.

Maquillage

Suqqu

Suqqu is a Japan exclusive so far I believe (and also UK as a reader pointed out! thanks!), it's quite pricey...

Jill Stuart-

The same pink looks...

Shiseido Integrate

(Which is a drugstore line)

Est and Eprise (both are premium makeup lines)

Kanebo Coffret D'or (I dont find the lipstick swatches too helpful though- neither is the main website, however if you like light to medium shades, most colors are really user-friendly and foolproof, other than a few really dark ones in the swatches you might want to check out first before purchasing sight unseen.

Ayura- again, mostly sold in Japan.

Sofina Aube Couture

Aube Couture is the new line replacing "Aube", it's a bit more pricey, however I think they are also trying to grow into a more mature brand. I'm quite excited about this! purchased a few items already, need to find time to try them.

Giorgio Armani Pink Lights collection- again, super overpriced brand as we all know it...I think the botton left is the 'Blending Cheek Duo' in #4- Rosewood and something..can be seen on official website, RRP60USD (booo)

Shiseido International

Estee Lauder and Clinique

Very interested in that EL palette, I've seen gorgeous pics elsewhere of it!

Clinique ones features 4 Limited Edition eyeshadows in the blossom print (in previous years they've been releasing blushes in that print).

Guerlain Paradis

Guerlain new collection features many single eyeshadows and the Paradis palette #404, unfortunately it's one of those brands that seems to grow in price exponentially...

Paul & Joe Ingenue Collection (reviewed in my blog) and the regular line additions - see my earlier posts for reviews on the Ingenue collection.

RMK Translucence

Lunasol- blossom collection

YSL

hrrrm a tad weaker this year, nice colors but not very exciting, just variations of spring shades really..

Hope you find these helpful! I compared some actual product pics against my photos above and they match quite reasnoably well.